Friday, May 20, 2016

LDF's decision to sideline Mr Achuthanandan lacks morality and ethics

Mr Pinarayi Vijayan, and not Mr VS Achuthanandan, the Communist party has decided, shall be the new Chief Minister of Kerala. Congratulations to Mr Vijayan who also holds the record for the longest serving (17 years) Secretary of the CPI(M)'s Kerala committee. 
But, many in the state will consider the decision to make Mr Vijayan the Chief Minister as a dis-service that is being done by the party's decision makers. Also, as an act of dishonesty and betrayal by the party. This kind of a feeling will specifically be running in the minds of a considerable number of Kerala voters, not necessarily Communist party members, who voted for the candidates of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in anticipation of seeing Mr VS as the next Chief Minister should the LDF win.  
It has been a long history in Kerala that the political mandate reverses every five years. This year it was all the more expected because of numerous allegations against the incumbent United Democratic Front (UDF) government led by the Congress party for having extended unwanted and illegal favours to those considered close to people in positions of power, and also that of corruption and misrule. Hence, many believed that the LDF needs to be returned to power this time, as it was the sole option which could be seen as one capable of getting sufficient seats to form a government. 
Since corruption was a crucial factor that was going against the UDF in the election campaign, the LDF needed a credible and non-corrupt face, which it found, like it has for years together in the past, in Mr VS Achuthanandan. Though he was cleared of the taint by the Courts, because of his alleged involvement and being named as an accused in the Lavalin Case that rocked Kerala politics for long, Mr Pinarayi Vijayan's face alone could not be used by the party to fight elections on the anti-corruption plank. What weighed in favour of Mr Achuthanandan was not only that he is free from any form of allegations of corruption but also that he is liked by the people of Kerala not because he is a Communist man but because he is always outspoken and candid, and never shies to talk against corruption even if it is committed within his own party. But this quality, to an extent, worked against him. 
Though the party had to rely on the ninety-two-year-old as its co-face to fight the election it could not come to a decision as to who will be the party's Chief Ministerial face. The party which has deep roots in almost every part of the state and with a very strong cadre strength could not completely overlook the majority demand from among its own members which was heavily in favour of Mr Pinarayi Vijayan. Nor could it afford to not use the general support for Mr VS among the ordinary voter (non-party members). Thus, the party declared that the Chief Minister would be decided once the election results came in its favour. Most party posters for the election campaign had the photos of the two leaders along with the party's candidate contesting the election from a particular constituency. 
When the results were declared on Thursday, history repeated itself by reversing the political mandate. The LDF was voted to power with 91 seats out of 140. As celebrations were underway, the question every person had in mind was that of leadership. Mr Prakash Karat, former General Secretary of the CPI(M), said that the decision will be taken on Friday when the Polit Bureau members and the state committee members meet. And when they met in the state capital on Friday noon, it took them less than forty minutes to declare that the leader will be Mr Pinarayi Vijayan. Mr VS was informed of the party's decision. Hearing this the doyen left to Cantonment House, his official residence, with a sad face and without even addressing the media. It is said that he was spending time at his home with his personal secretary and press secretary. 
There were whispers from within the party sources even before the election result declaration that if the LDF was voted to power the five years of Chief Ministerial office would be shared by both leaders. Mr VS himself, when asked by the media before the election result declaration of the chances of his becoming the Chief Minister given his age and the ongoing confusion, had replied that he would not mind taking up the top post. 
The quick decision of the party seems to be lacking in moral and ethical counts. It seems as if it needed the nonagenarian for his past works and his clean image for seeking votes from the people but once it did get what it wanted Mr VS was quickly sidelined. The ordinary voter, not belonging to the Communist party, will definitely feel cheated. What has happened with Mr VS is, however, not something new that has been happening with old people in politics. But Mr VS is quite unlike the other old politicians who have been treated alike. Mr Achuthanandan is still a powerful politician, his power being people's affection notwithstanding their political affiliations making it even more deadly. What he says has the ears of the ordinary voter and the media. By sidelining such a man it is the LDF itself that has the most to fear. His accusations against the misdeeds or misrule of the LDF government under Chief Minister Mr Pinarayi Vijayan if such may come up will be the strongest tool at the hands of the opposition parties. 
However, the ordinary voters can take solace in the fact that they can rely in Mr Achuthanandan's role as an insider watchdog, bringing out the wrongs which may be committed by his own party's government, one which he has been denied the opportunity to lead.
Post Script: Sharing a Facebook status update of my friend.